Taking care of the environment is something that is in everyone’s hands and that is why we should do our best to take care of the world we live in, because by taking care of our planet, we are taking care of ourselves.
There are many things we can do to improve our quality of life, to live in harmony with the rest of the species, to guarantee the resources of the planet for our generation and the future ones that are to come. Together, by doing our bit, we can make the world a better place.
Below, we give you 15 easy tips to put into practice so that, together, we can take care of the environment:
What can I do to take care of the environment?
- Before buying anything, we should think about whether we really need it or it is a whim that after two days we will have forgotten and will never use it again. Besides saving money, we will be helping to reduce overproduction if we only buy what we need.
- Before throwing something away we should ask ourselves if we can reuse, recycle or repair it (the famous 3Rs). If it is not useful for us, it may be useful for someone else or someone else can repair it, so it is worth thinking about it before throwing it away.
- We should unplug any electrical appliances that we do not use. Keeping appliances and other equipment plugged in to the mains is an unnecessary expense. They can waste up to 33% of energy, which is a lot, even if it doesn’t look like it. Leaving them plugged in allows them to continue wasting light.
- Using LED bulbs, apart from the fact that they last much longer than a conventional bulb, even fluorescent bulbs, spend much less, which saves our pockets and the environment. Don’t forget to recycle them properly when they stop working.
- Do not use aerosols with CFCs as they are the ones that destroy the ozone layer and contribute to the greenhouse effect. Replace them with sprays, they are also rechargeable.
- Substitute chemical cleaning products for natural products, because they are very harmful to the environment and practically all our homes can be cleaned with soap, bicarbonate, vinegar and lemon. Your skin will also thank you. So avoid bleach, oven cleaners, floor cleaners, window cleaners, etc. There is a more natural and ecological alternative for each of these products.
- Never throw toxic products, paint or used oil down the drain or into the toilet, as they pollute a lot. Ask your local council or water company how you should recycle them. Also, oil can be recycled by making bar soap and has many uses.
- Avoid junk food or precooked food. Apart from having many additives, preservatives, colorants, etc. It is over-packaged, i.e. more packaging is used than is necessary to package it. They all tend to end up on the ground, in the forest or in the sea, where the rubbish accumulates and harms the animals. It is better to use natural, seasonal and locally produced products, of KM 0 if possible, this will reduce costs, C02 emissions to the environment and much more.
- Store food in reusable lunch boxes, jars or glass lids, rather than using cling film or aluminium foil.
- Try to use the car as little as possible. If you go to work and cannot use public transport, try to share a car with several workers. Otherwise, use a bicycle, bus, subway or other more environmentally friendly alternative. This is a way to help yourself and your company to be healthy.
- Use glass containers instead of plastic bottles, especially water bottles. Instead of buying beer cans, for example, buy bottles, they can be recycled. Cans pollute a lot.
- When we brush our teeth, shave or are in the bathroom, we should turn off the tap. This way we will save a lot of water. We should also try to spend as little time as possible in the shower.
- Install a double flushing system in the toilet so as not to waste so much water. Every time we flush we use 10 litres of water, but it is not always necessary to use that many litres.
- Before putting in a washing machine, make sure you collect as much as possible. This will save water, detergent and fabric softener, as well as electricity.
- Give priority to quality and certified products. These products will respect production standards, the environment and will have polluted less during the creation process. In addition, if they are of quality they will last much longer and we will have to buy them less often.